Fishing float



June 9, V1925P R- C. MCELREE FISHING FLOAT F l d A g V 1925 r la 01%,

Maf/M 1 //A INVENToR. u

ATTORNEYS,

Patented June 9, 1925.

nonnen c, Menen-En, or

DALLAS, TEXAS, ASSIG-NOR OF ONE}IALF TO THWLASV WAGzGiCtNiER, DALLAS, TEXAS.

FISHING FLGAT.

`applicattesa Aill ed A ugnst 7, 192' To ,all 107mm it may comme@ Be it known that l, Bonner C). Meilleures, ,a citizen of the United States, residing at Dallas, in `the county of I3-alias and State of fllexas, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Fishing Floats, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hshing floatsaud the like, and refers to a float to :be used for night fishing', having ka peculiar construction, whereby when the float is actuated suddenly in a `vent-ical mov-ement or actuated to assume other than a vertical position, same will be illuminated to indicate the presence of a hsh on the line.

The object of the invention is to provide means for designating' to the fisherman at all times whether his line is free or if there is a fish thereon.

A feature of the invention is the simi plicity and durability of construction, same being,- waterproof and so arranged that it will become illuminated as soon as it is suddenly actuated or actuated from the vertical or normal floating` position.

Another feature is that the wearing; parts may be easily replaced without affecting the arrangement or the function of the other elements. lVhen the device is not in use it may be placed upon its side with no possibility of a connection beingmade to wear out the battery or the bulb unnecessarily, as long as it is not suddenly actuated from this position.

Other objects and features as well as the above, will be set forth inthe course of the following description, taken in connection with the drawings attached hereto as follows. Y Figure l represents a longitudinal yView of the invention in cross-section- Figure 2 represents a detail view of the tube containing the gravity conductor in cross-section- Following the figures, l represents the body of the fioat, lEL the cover thereof. 2 an upper extension from said cover, and 3 an extension from the lower portion of the body, both of the latter being` adapted to receive and engage Vthe fishline, similar to those on the ordinary fishing float now in common use, 4 represents a battery of the dry cell type fitted into a recess in the body il, and 5 represents the threads by which the body l and the top lfl are secured together,

Serial N10. 655,291. i

(l being :a washer of suitable material to render the joining of the threads water tight at all times. 7 represents a suitable electric bulb screwed into means 8, the latter being recessed in the top la. Ta is the washer between 'the `bulb and the socket v.to make the junction water tight, and 9 Yis the spring' connection attached .to wire 10 to make a certain contact of the wire against the'lbulb Icontact. 'Connection is made :through wire l() 'to' the battery lf- Vthrough the spring' ll .fastened overthe contactl point 'of the bat tery. Connecting wire 12. pass-es from the contact spring 16 on the plate 13 on the under side of the battery, through the tube la and through the tube stopper 16, (the latter comprised of glass or other suitable insulating' material) to the bottom of the tube to the gravity controlled conductor 13, made up of mercury or quicksilver, or other suitable liquid conductor.

Another connecting wire 18a from the means 8, extends to a contact point 1T between the cover and the body of the float, through connection 17 to brush or hollow cylinder l5 of conductible material.

As the float is tilted from the vertical to an appreciable degree by the presence of a fish ou the line, the mercury touches the brush comprising a cylindrical means of hollow construction and makes the circuit from wire 12 causing the light to flash, similarly when a sudden jer'k downward occurs the mercury streams upward and makes connection causing the light to flash.

lVhen the float is on its side for carrying; purposes or stored away, the mercury rests in the channel 14a, it, like all liquids, seeking its lowest level.

Variations in construction and arrangements of the different elements may be made without departing from the principles of the invention.

lhat is claimed is:

l. In a fishing float, or the like, a housing, a cover for said housing, a bulb, a bulb socket, a battery, a tube of non-conductible material conductible liquid means within the tube, a cylindrical means of hollow construetion within the tube abovethe liquid means, connecting means from the liquid means to the battery thence to the bulb, connecting` means from the bulb socket to the cylindrical means, said liquid means making' contact with said cylindrical means and said lll battery connecting,` means, to Hash the bulb when the float is suddenly actuated vertically or actuated to other than a vertical position.

2. In a float, means for illuminating said ioat, when it is suddenly actuated vertically from its point of rest, or when it is inclined substantially from its point ot rest said means comprising a source of electrical energy having a connection to a suitable electric bulb, a socket for said bulb, a tube with a cap therefor, said tube and cap of non-conductible material, liquid conductible material Within the tube, a connection to the bottom of the tube from the source of energy, another connection trom the bulb socket to a fixed conductible means in the upper part of the tube, the connection to the bottom of the tube at its extremity being immersed in liquid conductible material, the latter making a connection to thefixed conductible means when the float is actuated tric bulb, a socket lor same, a tube and cover therefor in t-he housing, th-e two lat-ter beingformed of non-conductible material, a liquid conductor in the tube, a tixed conductor in the tube, connections 'from the liquid conductoil to the source of energy to the bulb, an-d from the bulb socket to the .fixed conductor, the liquid conductor being adapted to contact with the fixed conductor when the meinber is actuated vertically from the point of rest as above mentioned.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ROBERT C. MCELREE. 

